Levi Johnston, the father of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s 4-month-old grandson, told The Early Show on Wednesday that communication between him and his ex-fiancee has improved in recent visits to see his boy, Tripp.

In response to Bristol Palin’s abstinence-touting appearance on Good Morning America earlier Wednesday, Johnston told CBS that abstinence is not a realistic option for young people.

“Abstinence is a great idea,” he said. “But I also think you need to enforce, you know, condoms and birth control and other things like that to have safe sex. I don’t just think telling young kids, ‘You can’t have sex,’ it’s not going to work.”

Johnson said he used condoms with the governor’s daughter most of the time.